Love in Game (De La Fuente Family 6)

“What’s going on?”

“I need to sleep in here tonight.”

“You’ve fallen out with Kasey?” he asks the question innocently enough but that’s all it takes to finally bring my tears.

My whole body shakes as my legs give way and I fall to the floor. My stomach hurts with how hard I’m crying and I vaguely hear Blake begging me to get up from the floor and come to him.

I slowly crawl to his bed and as soon as I reach it, Blake hauls me up and into his arms. He tucks me under the covers with him and holds me, letting my tears dry. When I’m completely drained, he wipes my face with his discarded shirt before tossing it to the floor.

“Now talk to me,” Blake begs.

“He’s going to New York tomorrow, and I only found out when his brother asked if he was packed.” I hiccup. “We talked before and I was supposed to be going back with him. I don’t know what’s changed. Why doesn’t he want me there with him?” I sniffle against Blake’s chest. “I’m going to stay in here with you until he’s gone.”

Blake sighs. “Hiding from your problems won’t solve anything. Trust me, I know.”

“I’m staying in here,” I reply. “It will hurt too much to say goodbye to him.”

“Felicity, what exactly did he say? Did he say it was over between you both? Help me to understand what’s really going on.”

“He didn’t say that exactly.” I quickly explain to Blake what Kasey had said, and embarrassingly add, “We haven’t had sex in a week.”

“Jesus, fuck…Felicity!” Blake explodes. “That is seriously too much information.”

“It’s true though…and when it’s usually every night, I can’t help but wonder, you know?”

“Wonder what?”

“If he still loves me.” I quickly cover Blake’s mouth with my hand. “I don’t want to see him before he leaves. I can’t Blake.”

“Okay…Go and change in the bathroom. You’ll be uncomfortable in your jeans.”

27

Kasey

I’ve stayed out of my room for a good portion of the evening to give Felicity the space that she’d wanted, when I’d planned on spending every second until I left with her in my arms. I hadn’t meant to royally screw up with her, I just have no idea what to do.

My life in the NHL is in New York, but the life I crave with Felicity is here in Montana. I’ve tried to pull away from her this week so that it wouldn’t hurt us so much, when I should have been talking to her and making sure that she knows how much I love her. We should have been talking about our plans in New York, about what type of house she wanted to live in. Instead I’d left it while trying to find the right time to tell her I’d been called back, and screwed everything up.

No matter what happens next, I need to make sure that she knows how much I love her, and what I have planned for us. I can’t leave her thinking the worst.

Pushing into my room, I switch the light on and stare blankly when I don’t see her in the room. I quickly check the bathroom and panic. Where the hell is she?

Blake!

Knocking lightly on his door, I poke my head inside and my heart sinks to my feet when I see Felicity curled into her brother. She’s out of it, but Blake meets my gaze over the top of her head.

Moving closer, I close my eyes to try and get my equilibrium back before I reach for her. Over the top of her head, I hold Blake’s gaze. “I love her,” I whisper. “I’m not used to this and I didn’t explain properly, but I’m going to rectify that as soon as she wakes. I’m not leaving her until I have.” He searches my eyes and then nods, releasing his hold on his sister.

“Don’t hurt her again. She hasn’t cried like that since we lost Mom and Dad.”

My heart drops to my toes at the idea of hurting her that much. I’m an asshole who should have explained.

Nodding at Blake, I gently collect her into my arms, and carry her back to our room. She’s restless as I place her in our bed, so I quickly strip and climb in with her, wrapping her in my arms. She stirs and tries to push me away, instead I roll her to her back and hover over her.

“Please let me explain,” I beg, the despair I see in her eyes very nearly my undoing. “I didn’t explain properly, and I should have. I should have talked my plans over with you instead of withdrawing to make it easier on me.”

Giving her some of my weight, I lay my palms against her face. “I heard you talking with Blake last week. About how unhappy you’d be in New York.”